STEPHENSON HARWOOD

Cookies on Stephenson Harwood website.

We would like to place strictly necessary cookies and performance cookies on your computer to improve our website service. To find out more about how we use cookies, please view our cookie policy or click close to continue.

Awards

Alan Bercow
Partner

Contact details

Co-head of our market leading fraud and asset tracing team, Alan is described by Chambers UK as "extremely knowledgeable". Clients value his experience and practical approach to a broad range of commercial litigation issues. Alan's practice is international and The Legal 500 praises Alan, saying he "is particularly experienced in cases involving Russia and the CIS".

Profile

Services

Locations

Alan acts on a broad range of corporate and commercial disputes, which have included some of the largest cases before the English courts. His clients include companies, directors, high net worth individuals and insolvency practitioners.

Alan heads our market-leading fraud team, which is ranked in tier 1 by The Legal 500. He has significant experience of high value, complex fraud and asset tracing claims, often involving freezing orders, disclosure orders, anti-suit injunctions and gagging orders. He is listed as a leading individual by both The Legal 500 and Chambers UK, who describe him as "hard-working, thorough and extremely good litigation handler".

Alan has significant experience of cases involving insolvency. He has acted for and against insolvency practitioners, both in the UK and abroad. He also advises regularly on directors' duties.

Alan has extensive experience of parallel, multi-jurisdictional cases involving Russia and the CIS, and also offshore jurisdictions such as BVI, Caymans and the Isle of Man.

"very tactically able" Chambers UK 2018

Fraud and asset tracing

Commercial litigation

Restructuring and insolvency

Fraud and asset tracing

Alan heads our market leading civil fraud team, and is praised by both Chambers UK and Legal 500 for his expertise in this area. The directories have praised his "experience of advising on multi-jurisdictional fraud cases".

Mukhtar Ablyazov, former owner of BTA Bank

Defended eight sets of High Court claims brought by the bank, for in excess of $4 billion. These were some of the largest, most publicised claims ever to be brought before the English court.

A former director of the Weavering hedge fund

Defended fraud and negligence claims for $450 million, arising from one of the largest hedge fund insolvencies in England.

A Russian oligarch

Acted for a well-known Russian oligarch, bringing claims against his former business partners and obtaining a world-wide freezing order freezing monies in Georgia and the Cayman Islands.

Restructuring and insolvency

Alan has extensive experience of litigation arising in the context of insolvency, particularly claims against former directors of insolvent companies.

Largest Norwegian bankruptcy

Acted for the Norwegian trustees in bankruptcy of Hilmar Reksten, the largest bankruptcy in Norway at the time.

A former director of the insolvent Weavering hedge fund

Defended fraud and negligence claims for $450 million by the liquidators of the fund, arising from one of the largest hedge fund insolvencies in England.

The largest receivership order ever made in England

Represented Mukhtar Ablyazov following the appointment of receivers over his assets, the largest receivership order ever made by the English Court. Defended eight sets of High Court claims, relating to transactions carried out prior to the bank's insolvency.